Prof. Rick Clark November 2006 Irish Seminars

pma-ire

Hello All,

Just to let you know that Rick is returning to Ireland this November starting his Ireland and UK tour.

Bio:

*Prof. Rick Clark was born December 4th, 1948 and began his life long study of the martial arts in 1962.* Prof. Clark is deeply indebted to his first instructor Mr. Wesley Hughes who instilled in him the desire to continue his practice of the martial arts.* Mr. Hughes demonstrated outstanding dedication to the martial arts and his desire to pass on his skill and knowledge when many would have give up.* Mr. Hughes was in a tragic car accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down, yet he would coach his students from the side of the mat in his wheel chair.* This dedication to teaching the martial arts has always impressed and humbled Prof. Clark.

From the beginning of his training in the martial arts Prof. Clark has been exposed to the concept of cross training.* In the early days most of the martial arts to be found in the U.S. was Judo.** Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Aikido were practiced in the U.S. but tended to be in the larger cities or perhaps in military bases.* At that time martial arts schools were not as numerous as they are today.* So when a visitor would come to the Dojo they would be welcomed and asked to participate in the class, and even teach some of their favorite techniques.* They would even offer what they could in a short period of time if they practices a different martial art.*

This cross fertilization of martial arts offered the genesis of* the current system taught by Prof. Clark.* Over the years Prof. Clark has had the opportunity to train with a number of instructors who have felt he had the skill and understanding to be ranked in their system.** Because Prof. Clark has trained with a number of different instructors and their styles he has been awarded various ranks.* In the past this has led to some confusion with his student because they would question the origin of a particular technique.** The late Grand Master Remy Presas (founder of Modern Arnis) offered the advice to Prof. Clark that he should form his own association and name the system of techniques he taught.* While this was sound advice Prof. Clark was reluctant to venture out and name a style of martial arts that he was teaching.* However, it became increasingly difficult to separate the individual arts from the blended style he was teaching.* After further suggestion by Grand Master Remy Presas and from his students Prof. Clark adopted the name Ao Denkou Jitsu for the style he was teaching and Ao Denkou Kai for the organization.*

Ao Denkou roughly translates as "blue lightning",* the lighting is for the "zing" of electricity you feel when a pressure point is struck or manipulated.* "Ao" or blue is in respect to Chung Do Kwan (Blue Wave) from which Prof. Clark studied from 1966 under Chung Nak Young.*

Ranks Prof. Clark has been awarded are:
8th Dan Ryukyu Kempo (KyuSho Jitsu/Pressure Points)
7th Dan Tae Kwon Do Chung Do Kwan
7th Dan Ju-jitsu
5th Dan Judo
3rd Dan Modern Arnis

He will be conducting seminars so far on the following dates...

Friday 3rd of November - Dublin (waiting on confirmed host)

Saturday 4th of November - Cork city. Contact Paul o'Leary 086-3545-032 (or reply to this email)

Sunday 5th of November - Waterford City. Contact Colette Kent 087-902-5141

Monday 6th of November - Open for groups to host a seminar themselves!!

Tuesday 7th of November - Open for groups to host a seminar themselves!!

Some dates may be adjusted to suit new hosts if required!!

Due to the mixed nature of Prof. Clarks background, seminars are open to all styles and ranks. There can even be specialised classes conducted to cover LEO/Security training if persons involved in that industry require.

For more information on Prof. Clark visit http://www.ao-denkou-kai.org/

Or contact me directly.

I look forward to your reply and hopefully to see you soon!!

Sounds interesting. What is he a professor of exactly?

Mola.mola

Professordom.

pma-ire

Deleted User wrote:

Sounds interesting. What is he a professor of exactly?

Criminology!

He used to teach at Indiana Uni. While also teaching a MA class there.

Not that I'm saying you were saying this! But most people think they can have a poke at the Prof title cause it may be like the Prof title that MA instructors use!!

Infact Rick uses it because he don't like people calling him Master, or Grand Master or any of the BS that goes with it!!

Tim_Murphy

Infact Rick uses it because he don't like people calling him Master, or Grand Master or any of the BS that goes with it!!

Then why not just get people to call him Rick?

pma-ire

pma-ire wrote:

Criminology!

He used to teach at Indiana Uni. While also teaching a MA class there.

Not that I'm saying you were saying this! But most people think they can have a poke at the Prof title cause it may be like the Prof title that MA instructors use!!

Infact Rick uses it because he don't like people calling him Master, or Grand Master or any of the BS that goes with it!!

That's cool. This is probably the first case I've heard of where an MA instructor who calls himself a professor actually is one.

Millionaire

actually I read about in the past some University in USA, where you can get a degree in Martial Arts, up to Master and Ph.d levels.

so not only can someone be a real Prof of MA, but also a Doctor of MA!

Nothingcompares

illegalheadbutt the position of professor in the united states universitys is not equivalent to the position of professor in the university you attend.

pma-ire

Tim_Murphy wrote:

Then why not just get people to call him Rick?

I do!

and so does eveyone that meets and trains with him as then the formality (BS) is out of the way.

You see when you are spending most of your time in the world of TMA's people in that grouping like to have a "title" for you!

Rick uses this actual professional title that he has so that another one is not attached to him!

Then he's just Rick!!

Roper

My favourite "Rick" ever was the guy who ran the bar in Magnum P.I.

Just FYI.

pma-ire

Roper wrote:

My favourite "Rick" ever was the guy who ran the bar in Magnum P.I.

Just FYI.

Thats great!

I'm really happy for you!!